PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, May 05, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santo Domingo is a rising star for Dominican Republic tourism, especially in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, according to updates shared by officials at the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE).
The capital city has experienced explosive growth in recent years and is now home to 27 first-class hotels, with five new hotels expected in the next two years, according to the Santo Domingo Hotel Association. The MICE sector has provided a significant boost to growth and hotel occupancy rates in Santo Domingo. The recent opening of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Convention Center has helped attract MICE travelers to the city, as well with the Santo Domingo’s diverse offerings in gastronomy, culture, history, sports, shopping and entertainment.
The city continues to invest in the restoration of its Colonial City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Radhamés Martinez Aponte, Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) Vice Minister, shared that the Colonial City is the second most popular day trip in the country behind Saona Island. A $30 million MITUR project financed by the Inter-American Development Bank was kicked off last year that made sweeping improvements to the city, and Martinez Aponte announced that $90 million will be used to continue those projects, including refacing old homes, updating sidewalks, recovering museums and supporting entertainment and activities such as Jazz Thursdays, a free weekly concert. Santo Domingo is also renovating the Malecón—its famous oceanfront promenade.
In a step toward positioning the city as the country’s leading MICE and cultural destination, Santo Domingo Hotel Association President Roberto Henríquez announced the group will request for DATE 2018 to be held in Santo Domingo at the newly opened Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Convention Center.
The group also shared its latest statistics on improvements already made to the Colonial City, including:
- Six tourist information centers
- The design of new official tourist maps
- Two museum restorations
- 5,000 square meters of sidewalks
- 1,200 new streetlights
- 850 historical houses refaced
- 325 new businesses opened since 2012
- 127 new businesses opened in the last year
- 123 new 24-hour security cameras installed
- Updates to the drainage system
- Community center
- Handicap accessibility
- 1,232 new jobs as a result of improvements and updates
Santo Domingo’s next major MICE event will be the MITM Americas National Fair held November 14 to 17 at the El Embajador Royal Hideaway hotel.
For more information on Dominican Republic, visit www.GoDominicanRepublic.com .
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About Dominican Republic Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south, our lush tropical and paradisiacal country boasts nearly 1,000 miles of coastline, magnificent resorts and hotels, and a variety of sports, recreation and entertainment options. Here you can dance to the pulse pounding thrill of the merengue, renew in our luxurious and diverse accommodations, explore ancient relics of centuries past, delight in delicious Dominican gastronomy or enjoy ecotourism adventures in our magnificent national parks, mountain ranges, rivers and beaches.
Known for our warm and hospitable people, Dominican Republic is a destination like no other, featuring astounding nature, intriguing history and rich cultural experiences like music, art and festivals, plus uniquely Dominican specialties such as cigars, rum, chocolate, coffee, merengue, amber and larimar.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...e08ef55f15
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...488d8abf6b
Annie Holschuh Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism 414-247-2140 annie.holschuh@bvk.com
